asked the Minister of Labour (1) the total number signing the register weekly at Cleator Moor, Millom and Whitehaven exchanges, for light work only, during the last three months; how many have been registered for 12 months, six months and three months, respectively; and how many times during the last six months have these registrants been offered for employment and employers have refused to engage;

(2) the number of work-people paid off during the last three months at High Duty Alloys, Limited, Distington, and the cause for the reduction in the number employed; and how many have been reinstated in other employment;

(3) the total number of unemployed, male and female separately, who have signed on week by week during the last three months at Whitehaven, Cleator Moor and Millom exchanges, respectively; how many have been placed in employment during the period under notice within the areas covered by these exchanges; and how many have been directed to or found work outside the exchange areas referred to, giving the localities where employment has been found.

I will, if I may, write to my hon. Friend giving him such information as is available in reply to these Questions.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is satisfied that officers who have been called on to resign their commissions on account of inefficiency or misconduct are at once directed either to service in the ranks or to other work of national importance; and how long a period elapses before such ex-officers are so directed.

Officers who relinquish their commissions for reasons other than medical unfitness are, if within effective age for calling-up, required to register or re-register under the National Service Acts. They have the usual statutory rights under the Acts and are subject to the normal deferment arrangements. In addition, those officers who have not had their commissions terminated because of misconduct are given the opportunity of making representations against being called up for service in the ranks. Such representations are considered on merits by my Department in consultation with the Service Department concerned. I am satisfied that there is no undue delay in dealing with these cases, but if my hon. and gallant Friend has any particular case in mind I shall be pleased to look into it.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there have been reported cases of ex-officers of this description going about doing nothing for some considerable time after they have resigned their commissions? I will certainly send information to him.

asked the Minister of Labour, whether it is his intention to introduce legislation to deal with the employment of women in hospitals.

I have no such intention at present.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that great resentment was caused by a recent speech of his, in which he referred to "slut-minded charwomen" employed in hospitals; and does that represent his point of view?

I did not know there was any resentment. What I suggested was that the practice of employing charwomen in the manner in which they had been employed, must be ended, and must be put on a proper footing.

Does my right hon. Friend think it fair to describe these charwomen, who have worked under great difficulties during the war, as "slut-minded"?

I did not use the phrase "slut-minded."

asked the Minister of Labour, if he is aware that many women over the age of 19 have had their medical studies since 1943 interrupted, after passing their first medical examinations, by national service; that two of the three London medical schools which admit women are about to hold entrance examinations to select students for the second medical course starting next October, but that successful candidates in the above age category cannot be allotted vacancies without his approval before the examination results are known; and if he will allow such of these women who reach the requisite standard at these examinations for securing admission to the schools to accept places provisionally.

In consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, I am making arrangements by which medical schools may consider provisionally applications from women of any age who wish to be admitted next October. The question whether selected candidates will be permitted to begin their courses at that date will, of course, depend upon the national situation.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that garbage in certain parts of London is not being collected for as much as five weeks owing to the shortage of labour and the nature of the labour available; and whether he will allocate more labour to the Metropolitan boroughs concerned so that a more frequent collection can be made and in order to avoid an outbreak of disease.

I am aware of the difficulties to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers, which arise from the general shortage of labour in London to meet the requirements of essential products and services. I am however giving urgent consideration to the means whereby the most pressing of these particular demands may be satisfied.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that unless an improvement is made in the collection of refuse there will be a real danger of epidemics when the warmer weather comes; and will he do everything he can to improve the labour supply?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in some otherwise well-run boroughs in London, the position is even worse than that stated in the Question, that six to eight weeks elapse between collections, that there is a difficulty in some parts in getting the proper servicing of vehicles and the labour of many kinds which is wanted, and that the health question is causing considerable concern?

The difficulty in London is that, with bomb damage repairs and so many other claims upon me, it is difficult to meet all the requirements. I wondered whether some new method could be introduced which would result in pooling some of the services, and I propose to meet the local authorities to look into that, and to see whether I can economise labour and, at the same time, give them some relief.

In considering that will my right hon. Friend bear in mind a reply of the Minister of Supply yesterday that certain kinds of salvage which are collected are in short supply and are badly needed?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the difficulties experienced by the King George's Sanatorium for Sailors at Bramshott, Hampshire, owing to the impossibility of obtaining adequate staff to carry on its work; and whether he will assist this sanatorium to obtain at once the services of two sisters, two staff nurses and six student nurses, for whom vacancies exist and who are now urgently required.

I am doing my best to provide additional nursing staff for this sanatorium, which has been given the highest priority. My hon. and gallant Friend will, however, be aware of the great difficulties which arise as the result of the acute general shortage of nurses.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this admirable institution has had to close one ward, and that we have a long waiting list with which we are unable to cope?

I appreciate very much that there is a shortage of nurses but, as I explained to the House some time ago in answer to a Question, I cannot make good the lack of nurses, particularly with the extra demand made upon them in war. The situation ought to have been foreseen and allowed for before the war. That is the great difficulty I am in.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to ensure that expectant and nursing mothers may be able to secure supplies of natural unpasteurised milk.

I should not be prepared to take any such action. It is not practicable at present to supply safe milk except by pasteurisation and by handling it throughout with strict hygienic precautions.

Is the Minister aware that quite eminent medical authorities regard pasteurisation as devitalisation? If people want unpasteurised milk, should they not be free to get it?

It is not a question of whether they should be free to get it. I could not, on a supplementary question, enter into this controversial matter of the value of pasteurisation.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that the statement of the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. W. J. Brown) does not accord with scientific facts?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the Bethnal Green shelter case; and particularly as to the position of Servicemen whose claims are Statute barred.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now made any offer of assistance to the Bethnal Green local authority to enable them to settle outstanding claims arising out of the shelter accident.

After careful consideration of the whole of the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate accident, I have come to the conclusion that it would be right that the Bethnal Green Borough Council should receive exceptional financial assistance from the Exchequer in meeting the liability which attaches to the council as a result of the decision by the Court of Appeal in the proceedings, brought by Mrs. Baker. The council have agreed to deal with outstanding claims in the following manner, and the whole of the expenditure thus entailed, and that already incurred in defending and settling Mrs. Baker's claim, will be reimbursed by the Exchequer, less the sum received by the council under an insurance policy. Persons now receiving pensions from the Ministry of Pensions will be free to elect whether they will maintain their pension position or pursue their rights at law. Those who choose the latter alternative will continue to receive their pensions for a reasonable period while negotiations are proceeding. Payment of the pensions will cease on payment of damages. Damages assessed in the light of the judgment delivered in Mrs. Baker's case will be paid to claimants on whose behalf writs were o issued within 12 months of the accident. As regards Statute barred claims, a category in which I believe my hon. Friends are particularly interested, the Statute will not be relied upon in the case of claims lodged on or before 31st December, 1944, provided that good and substantial cause is shown to the satisfaction of the Treasury Solicitor for failure to put the claim forward at an earlier date. In the case of claims lodged after 31st December, 1944, the decision not to rely upon the Statute will be confined to those where the delay in submission is due to absence of the claimant outside the jurisdiction.

While thanking my right hon. Friend, may I ask him whether he can give any estimate of the probable cost?

I am afraid I cannot, because all the claims are not in and negotiations have not yet taken place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can now make a statement regarding gratuities for the C.D. service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make a statement regarding war gratuities for Civil Defence workers, the National Fire Service and the Police War Reserve.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will be making a statement at the end of Questions, in which he will deal with this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what system of air-raid warning was used during the recent raid by piloted aircraft on the East coast area; and if he is satisfied with these arrangements.

The air raid warning system is that which has been in operation throughout the war, with the improvements introduced a year ago. I have made inquiries into its working during the raid referred to by my hon. Friend and I am satisfied that in general it operated efficiently.

In view of the fact that some of the towns and villages were attacked during the dim-out or when lights were showing, would the right hon. Gentleman consider instituting a separate or special warning for piloted aircraft raids?

I do not think that would be practicable.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the danger to our own aircraft returning in the conditions in which our Civil Defence has to be carried out?

Perhaps we are getting too close to operational matters to pursue this point further.

asked the Minister of Health the amount, as on the last convenient date, of the allowance made by way of grants and by interest-free allowances to local authorities in the evacuation areas.

The advances made to authorities of evacuation areas and other local authorities in need of assistance, amounted, on 28th February last, to £14,348,880.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to announce the names of the persons appointed to the committee of inquiry set up to consider and report on the practicability of controlling or regulating the price at which dwelling-houses may be sold.

Yes, Sir. I am glad to be able to inform the House that Mr. John Morris, K.C., has agreed to act as Chairman of the Committee and, with permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of the members who have agreed to serve.

Will it be permissible for Members to submit to the Committee letters they have received from their constituents on this subject?

I am sure the Chairman will welcome the receipt of such letters.

Can we know the terms of reference of this Committee? Do they specifically include the right to inquire into the need for retrospective action?

The terms of reference were announced by the Lord President of the Council on 13th February. They are as follow:

"To consider, and report, whether it is practicable to control effectively the selling price of houses with or without vacant possession and to prevent undue financial advantage being taken of the present housing shortage; and, if so, what measures should be adopted to effect such objects."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 13th February, 1945; Vol. 408, c. 29.]

Yes, I was aware of that, but would the right hon. and learned Gentleman see that the terms are extended to make them retrospective?

I cannot possibly, without notice, and in reply to a supplementary question, consider the extension of the terms of reference.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that small house property continues to be offered and sold at three and more times its pre-war value; and whether prospective legislation to deal with this problem is to be applied retrospectively.

As already announced, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I are appointing a Committee to consider the practicability of controlling the selling price of houses. The question of legislation, and its scope, will be considered in the light of the findings of that Committee.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman answer the latter part of my Question, as to whether legislation will be applied retrospectively? Numerous houses are now being sold for three or four times their value, and can nothing be done about it?

The latter part of my hon. Friend's Question postulates prospective legislation. We have appointed this Committee to consider whether legislation will be practicable.

Will it be applied retrospectively, to deal with houses now sold at abnormal prices?

I cannot say what the contents of the legislation will be until I know whether there will be legislation.

Will my right hon. and learned Friend give instructions to the Committee to expedite the report?

I have intimated to the chairman that I hope he will proceed as rapidly as possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has confirmed a compulsory purchase order for the acquisition by the Keighley Town Council of 86¼ acres of land at Bracken Bank for housing purposes; for what reason the effort to purchase by agreement failed; what award the arbitrator has given; and what is the value at which the land was assessed for local taxation.

No, Sir. The Keighley Town Council purchased this site at the agreed price of £14,500, and the second and third parts of the Question do not, therefore, arise. As regards the last part, the land is agricultural and therefore derated.

asked the Minister of Health why he informed the Huntingdon Town Council that it would be better to employ friendly arbitration rather than resort to a compulsory purchase order for the acquisition of a housing site; where is the land in question; what is its area and rateable value; and whether the council approached the owners asking them to agree to arbitration and with what result.

There appears to be some misunderstanding. The council were not advised in the sense suggested, and a compulsory purchase order was in fact made and was confirmed last December. The land, which is about seven acres in area, is at Ambury Hill, Huntingdon, and is derated.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Leeds City Council has confirmed a recommendation by its improvements committee for the purchase of land on the Golden Acre Park Estate, adjacent to the Leeds-Otley Road for a sum of £18,500; what area of land is involved and what is its rateable value.

I understand that the City Council have confirmed the recommendation in question. The area involved is 146 acres. Only part of the estate is being purchased and I regret that the figure of rateable value is not therefore available.

asked the Minister of Health why he has granted compulsory powers for the acquisition of some of the best agricultural land in the parish of Barley for housing purposes, in preference to other available sites of less agricultural value.

Before the compulsory purchase order was made it was ascertained, in accordance with the procedure agreed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and myself, that the Ministry of Agriculture did not feel justified in objecting on agricultural grounds to the use of the land for housing.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet received the Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Rent Control.

Yes, Sir, and I am arranging for its early publication.

asked the Minister of Health whether some of the number of vacant houses set aside for air-raid evacuees in Southampton can now be released in order to relieve the housing shortage in that town.

My information is that the houses which were, until last autumn, held vacant under requisition in Southampton as a reserve of accommodation for persons who might be made homeless by enemy attack, have been made available to relieve the housing shortage, and that any that are now vacant are being prepared for occupation by families inadequately housed. So far as I am aware, no houses have been requisitioned in Southampton for occupation by evacuees.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will state the price that was agreed between his Department and the producers of foamslag; and whether it is still available at this price.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works to the Member for East Fulham (Mr. Astor) on 14th February when it was stated that the precise figures of cost could not be quoted. I have no reason to suppose that the figures which were discussed with the industry will not be largely met when the necessary markets have been created to justify regular continuous foaming on a large scale. The present price is of course very much higher.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can now make a statement with regard to demobilisation benefits for the W.L.A.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is now able to announce the Government's proposals regarding the W.L.A.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when he expects to make a statement with regard to his negotiations on the payment of a war gratuity to members of the W.L.A.

I would ask my hon. Friends to await the statement to be made at the end of Questions by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will confer with the Minister of Food with a view to ensuring that a market is available for the home-grown leeks, the market for which has been somewhat interfered with owing to the importation of foreign onions.

I can assure my hon. Friend that I am in constant touch with my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Food concerning the marketing of agricultural produce. I do not think that the small importation of onions will have any appreciable effect on the market for home-grown leeks, which should be able to absorb remaining supplies of good quality.

Does my right hon. Friend not appreciate the importance and vital necessity of the leek growers having an cutlet for their produce? It is a very important matter.

Yes, Sir; but the importation of onions does not make any difference.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the difficulties now facing the markets committees of local authorities in making plans for the future of cattle markets generally; and whether he is in a position to make any statement with regard to post-war policy for the marketing of livestock.

I am aware that certain local authorities have the future of their cattle markets under consideration, but regret that I am not at present in a position to make any statement about post-war arrangements for the marketing of livestock.

Is my right hon. Friend fully aware of the urgency of this matter, and does he not consider a state-men long overdue?

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can now make some statement regarding farm produce prices and any proposed increases or cuts in prices for the next 12 months.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement on this subject which appeared in the Press this morning.

Are we to be guided entirely by statements in the Press? Is it not better to have these matters raised in the House?

Is it not essential that an important statement, affecting agriculture and the country, should be made to the House, and that we should not be advised through the Press?

It is a very long statement indeed, going into very great detail. I considered whether I should make it to-day, but, in view of its extreme length and detail, I felt that hon. Members would not like to hear it read out.

But a statement contributed by the Minister to the Press is not debatable in this House. We can debate statements by Ministers only if they are made here. Can provision be made for Members to hear the statement, and discuss it?

In view of the fact that Members on all sides of the House have been asking questions about this matter for a number of weeks, and that there has been no answer, will my right hon. Friend use his influence with the Leader of the House to see that we are given an early opportunity of debating the statement which appears in the Press to-day?

It is not a matter for me, but if my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House could find the time, I should be very glad to have a Debate.

This Question has been on the Order Paper for some days. Would it not have been better for my right hon. Friend to have answered it here, instead of doing so through the Press? It is a little hard on the hon. Member for Evesham.

It may possibly be hard on my hon. Friend the Member for Evesham (Mr. De la Bère), but I must have regard to some 300,000 farmers, who want to know at the earliest possible moment what prices they are going to get for the crops they have been ordered to plant.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that many farmers have carried out their cropping orders made by the war agricultural executive committees, but now find that they will no longer be able to do so in view of the shortage of labour, he, in conjunction with the Minister of Labour, will take steps to provide additional labour throughout the present year.

Man-power requirements in agriculture in relation to the food production programme are kept under constant review by the Government, and everything possible will be done to provide the labour needed.

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the appalling shortage of labour on the farms now, and that the question of food is vitally urgent for the future? Something further must be done about this matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the contemplated seizure of valuable agricultural land in the parish of Barley for the erection of council houses, although other sites of less agricultural value are available; and if he will take steps to prevent inroads upon the agricultural resources of the country.

My Department was consulted about the proposal of the Hitchin rural district council to erect houses on a site of about 3½ acres at Barley. After consideration, including consultation with the county war agricultural executive committee, the site was approved, no equally suitable alternative being discovered. In regard to the second half of the Question, housing proposals by local authorities are examined by my rural land utilisation officers, and my hon. Friend may rest assured that the agricultural interest is taken into account before sites are approved.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of complaints of delay by his Lime Department in settling payments of the subsidy for the inauguration of limestone quarries; that, in particular, the company which has opened up the quarries at Dufftown, Banffshire, are unable to procure their subsidy or any draw towards their expenditure which has been expended over two years; and what steps he is taking to arrange these matters to work more quickly and smoothly.

I assume that my hon. and gallant Friend refers to the Exchequer grant towards the cost of plant for the production of ground limestone for agriculture. I was not aware that undue delay had occurred in the payment of these grants, or of instalments of them, which are, however, subject to the execution by the producers concerned of a deed embodying the conditions attaching to the grant. In the particular case mentioned, an advance payment has been applied for by the company, who have, however, questioned certain clauses in the deed which they have been asked to execute. The matter is now under examination, and an advance payment will be made to the company as soon as the necessary deed has been executed.

asked the Secretary of State for India, how many times the Government has been defeated in the Legislative Assembly during the last six months, and on what issues.

I understand from Press reports that the Government of India have been defeated six times in the present budget session of the Legislative Assembly. The first occasion was a vote of censure relating to the grievances of Indians in South Africa; the second issue was that of the methods used for the sale of National Savings Certificates by Government agents in Bihar; the remaining four issues arose in connection with the railway budget.

Would the right hon. Gentleman say which he considers more adequately expresses the opinion of India—the Government of India, on the one hand, or the Legislature, on the other?

I think I must leave that to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the desirability of effecting an early solution of the Indian problem, he will consider, without prejudice to the Cripps proposals, taking the initiative in bringing the various interests together for the purpose of another discussion.